The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, June 6, 1929, Page 13

THURSDAY, JUNE6, 1929 054 IN 48 YEARS lowa Telegraph Operator Con- structed First Phone Sys- tem Here in 1881 1886 DIRECTORY PUBLISHED Nearly Five Million Calls Will Be Placed by Capital City People in 1929 Thumbing back the pages of history one finds many interesting stories of the growth and development of Bis- marck and its industries some of which had a modest beginning here almost 50 years ago. Today these same business institutions have grown up with the country to occupy an im- portant and vital place in the daily Hid of the people of this commu- y. Among the early institutions in Bis- marck which has kept pace with the Progress of this city is the telephone business. Today the telephone has become such a common instrument of usefulness that it hardly receives a second thought. Through its service to humanity the telephone has gained this heritage but its early history here is an heroic episode. ‘When the telephone was only five years old the first instruments were installed in Bismarck and the first central office was established to serve the people here. That was in 1881. Charles E. V. Draper is credited with being the first owner of the telephone exchange in Bismarck. The switchboard was a rather crude af- fair when compared with modern tel- ephone equipment and it was situated in the Raymond building at Main and Third streets which later was known as the Palace hotel. The building since has been razed by fire. First ‘Hello’ Girl ‘The first operator was Miss Griffis. Operating a telephone switchboard 4 years ago was such a new adven- cure that it was no easy task. In 1885, Mr. Draper desired to go farther west so he sold the exchange here to a Mr. Davis. Davis managed the exchange for a year and sold it to W. H. DeGraff. Many residents of Bismarck today will recall these pio- neer telephone managers. A telephone directory was published in 1886 by the Northwestern Tele- phone Exchange company, containing the names of the following subscrib- trs in those da: I. P. Baker, J. Brady, Capitol Build- ing, Dietrich Bros., Emery and Rich- holt, First National Bank, Otto Fisher, F. Frisby, Fort Lincoln, Sig. Hanann, Hanann and Bartle, C. H. Hord, Charles Kupitz, Alex McKenzie, Mill Brewing company, Malloy and Stoyell, Mandan Roller Mills, N. P. Express, N. P. Bank, George Peoples, J. Robi- son, Russell,’ Miller and company, Stone and Jennings, Union Block, O. H. Will, C. R, Williams, J. P. Hoag- land, Penitentiary, Best, Dayton and company, and J. T. Carrier. Bismarck had 30 telephones con- nected to a switchboard serving the folks in this community just 44 years 2. 6° Value Finally Realized At this time telephone service ex- tended to Fort Abraham Lincoln and @ little later it was extended to Fort Yates and the Parkin ranch. Then doctors, bankers and other business nd professional men began to real- ize the importance of telephone serv- ice and soon became subscribers. Among these men were Dr. F. D. Ken- drix, Dr. Bentley, the Peterson and Williams Drug. store, Bragg and Smith, grocers, Flannery and Cook, lawyers and others. Later the telephone exchange be- came the property of the Hughes Electric company and in 1906 there were ay itely 375 local res{- dences and business houses receiving the service. The North Dakota Inde- By 1920 the number of telephones here had increased to 2,108. In 1924 the Northwestern Bell phone company the local exchange it was necessary to erect another and Laps Ceirs = fice at an approxima ba serv! Beyeg Lire a it, fy 2 5 5 i i i iF ok ! I ff : é j g g = ett it li When your telephone gets out of order these men repair it. Members of this staff handle the executive, mai agerial and mechanical labors of the Bismarck exchange. M. O. Quamme, manager at Mandan; L. M. Parsons; ert Thorberg; A. R. Brooks, Hazen exchange own eCO————————— | They Keep Bismarck’s ‘Talkies’ in Order | In the back row from left to right are Leslie Ha . E. Green; F. H. Waldo, Bismarck district manager; Rob- jlarence Gunness, district plant superintendent, and A. G. Bahmer. Knecling in the lower row from left to right are: Lloyd Wentworth of the A. T. and T. at Minneapolis; D. Shepard; F. E. Burdick; J. L. Bischoff and A. Gilmore, former cashier. “Number, please?” It’s one of these girls who ask the question. They sometimes are the most cussed and dis- cussed girls of the day. No matter how “mad” you may be, they always say, “Thank you.” In the top row from left to right are: Bernice Hoeffler, Anastasia Skelly, Beatrice Harding, Viola Olson, Lillian Oelke, Elizabeth Schlosser, Elizabeth Bullinger, Catherine Werstlein, Ova. siness and Anna Erbe. Kneeling in the lower row fron left to right are: Clara Papacek, Catherine Andrist, Annamarie Jochim, Frances Andrist, and Eleanor Sma. during a long journey and means had to be found of bolstering them up. ‘These and many other problems were solved, but only after years of study and experiment. Coast to Coast in 1915 By 1892, telephone history reveals that after 16 years of experimenting, the long distance lines had traveled from New York ta.Chicago, a distance of 900 miles. By 1915 the first tele- line clear across the continent from New York to Sen Francisco was completed. Before that date, however, along in south, Draper Washburn in 1885. It failed. Alex- ander McKenzie and I. P. Baker in- terested themselves in this long dis- tance telephone development in this locality and constructed several iron wire ¢! its to Jamestown and other nearby cities. In 1906 a line was g & a fs : E ut a3 ti i ie g { E ia! i : ae u E ° | ° of miles over the telephone wires with a moderate conversational tone, | of in N. D. The history of telephone develop- | T: ment in the state of North Dakota about parallels that of Bismarck. Tel- ephone exchanges were started here and there growing as time went on with oth- | Is Mechanical Head BISMARCK PIONEER INSTALLED THREE-MAN BODY 10 FIRST PHONE INNORTH DAKOTA) cyppvice pITLDING Rivaled Bell by Constructing Acoustic System at Gil- man, la., in 1876 LINKED BISMARCK HOTELS C. E. V. Draper Built First Long Distance Line in State to Washburn How many boys have stretched a Piece of string from one room to an- other, tied » tin can at the end, and Played “telephone.” C. E. V. Draper did that as a boy in Gilman, Iowa, in the 70's and he made the tin cans “talk.” Bismarck and built the state's first long distance line. a | Telephone Pioneer | e- ° 2 To C. E. V. Draper goes the credit for ‘$| about 38,000 telephones in North Da- Fort | kota, and the demands for telephone e service continue to grow with the de- velopment of the state. In Bismarck the Northwestern Bell company employs 44 skilled telephone workers who furnish service to the local people. The annual payroll of the company here amounts to more than $44,000 most of which remains here in Bismarck being spent by the telephone people for rent, food, cloth- ing and other necessities of life. Although the Bismarck exchange is @ part of the Bell system it is a home town enterprise in operation, because the Bell system accepts the responsi- bility of furnishing each community with telephone service best suited to its needs, It is a national enterprise in research, engineering, manufac- ture and consulting advice so that each telephone user may have the best that centralized effort and quan- tity production can achieve. ‘Still Pion: Behind every telepl:one of this com- |Pany, in city or small town, is the na- tional organization for the develop- ment and improvement of the tele- phone art such as is reflected in the niseny: of telephone service in this city. F. H. Waldo, district manager of the telephone that because the NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORE- CLOSURE SALE Whereas, Default has becn made in the terms and conditions of that cer tain mortgage hereinafter described y the non-p: it of amortization Hundred Forty-six ($146.25) each, cember 9, 1) cember 9, 192: Sixty-seve nd Dollars paid Decem! the further sum of Oi ‘wo Hundred | Seventy-seve: 55/100) ($127) Dollars taxes for they: 1 . fore, Given, That that certain. mortgi fr executed and delivered by William ‘and Eva H. Stark, his wife, 0 The Federal Land Paul, a body corporate, of the City of St. Paul, County of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, mort- gases, Dated June 9, 1920, and filed for record in the office of the R ter of Deeds of Burleigh Co North Dakota, on July 19, 1920, recorded in book 166 of Mortga: at, Page 6, will be foreclosed sale of t! premises in such mort. Fase and hereinafter described, at the ront door of the Court Hou: In the city of Bismarck, County, of Burleigh, State of North Dakota, at the M. on 15th Rn hour of 2 y of J o The Fed Paul amountin, Four Thousa Twenty and 58/100 Dollars ($4020.58). 7 h mort- remises in. sucl and which will be sold to satisfy Section 48) east Qu n No Hund: hh Range it, containing ‘ent ree Twenty (320) acres, i according ule ‘Government sure Shore will be due on said mort at the Gate of sale for said defaulted inatall ‘and ‘taxes the sum of Twenty: Hundred | Nii and 46/100" Doliara ($2119.46), with statut attorney's pont of foreclosure as prov! Dated this 234 day of May, 1929, THE FEDERAL LAND BANK SAINT PAUL, lortgagee, Tillotson, Attorneys for Bi: . North ee 1a duger & “Sorts Fis H E i ‘accounted @ success.” A second 10 miles north of Wilton. These phones were later dismantled. They were destroyed by a fire in 1902. Seld Out te Bell Securing the territory of Bismarck and Mandan from the Bell phone was cut in at Painted Woods, a settlement about Pioneering and developing the system of telephone communication in Bis- marck and the Slope country. Mr. Draper constructed the first tele- phone system used in North Dakota an! built the first long distance line. Italy and Holy See to Trade Ratifications Rome, June 6. ratifications of the lateran accords between the Italian government and the Holy See will take place tomor- in Cardinal Gas own apartments in the vatican city. It announced today that the pro- ceedings would be very brief, con- fined to the exchange itself and to the drawing up and signature of the proces-verbal attesting the ex- change. . U. 8. GUNBOAT AGROUND Shanghai, June 6.—(#)—The United States gunboat Luzon, 575 tons was aground today at the breakwater at the mouth of the Hwang Pu Kiang, but was in no danger. It was expect- ed to be refloated at high tide 5 a. m., Friday. (#\—Exchange of | OF MEMORIAL HERE Legionnaires Request That the Building Have Nursery, Rest Rooms, Meeting Rooms Construction of the city-county me- morial building, to be erected here, was placed in the hands of three men at’a joint meeting of the city and county commissioners and the Amer- ican Legion memorial committee last | nignt. | George will, chairman of the county board, will represent the county; A. P. Lenhart, chairman of the city commission, will represent the city; and R. J. Kaplin will repre- sent the American Legion. Arrangements were made at an in- | formal discussion, since the city can- } not legally act to join with the coun- | ty in constructing the building until after the law permitting such union of city and county funds for memor- ial purposes, becomes effective July 1. Tt was decided to erect the new me- morial building on the plot of ground just North of the city auditorium. The city already owns 3715 feet facing Sixth street and 150 feet more will be purchased from Andrew Mellon, secretary of the United States treas- ury, for $24,000. An option on the Mellon property was taken several months ago and probably will be taken up before it expires June 10. The committee of three was ap- pointed in order to facilitate the work of selecting an architect, obtaining plans and letting contracts. Each member of the “steering” committee will report to his respective group. The Legion representative will act in an advisory capacity because of the fact that the building originally was sponsored by the Legion as a me- morial to the war dead of the county. Some discussion was had as to what | tl the building should contain and a statement giving the views of the Le- gion was presented by Mr. Kamplin on behalf of the Legion committee. It provides that the building con- tain an auditorium, gymnasium and armory, as provided in the question : Bismarck Telephone Business Keeps Pace With Civic Progress! NUMBER OF PHONES | GROWS FROM 300 | added to take care of the service. tne ielepbone business for 16 yout e tele} lor He began the work i Wisconsin with system. Struck with wanderlust, he then moved to various stations Arkansas and Louisiana and returned to Wisconsin. He to Minot, where he was northwestern area manager for four years immedi ately before coming to Bismarck, for the public; room for sery; @ room for meetings another for meetings of en for boys’ and girls’ 4-H club work; one arrangement be made quarters for all ex-servicemen’s ganizations of the county; that the plans for the structure, the architect: submitting the best plans to get the submitted to city voters last Friday; | job that the auditorium could be used for the gymnasium; that it contain ade- quate rest room and toilet facilities City’s First Brick Building Above is shown Bismarck's first brick building, where the first telephone store operated by Jacob “Cheap Jak as the sign on the side of the building indicates. 4s on display at the stete capitol, the Northwestern Bell company having switchboard was installed here. The telephone company shared the second floor of the structure with the U. 8. weather bureau. Below was a furniture Hananen, who believed in advertising, The first switchboard now made a gift of it recently to the state historical society. This building stood at Main avenue and Third street on the site now occupied by the Winston- Newell company. North While North Dakota is famous for its wheat moore than 1,000,000 acres of land were planted The manner of conducting the prize will be awarded in order to stimulate the entry of architects into the competition. ‘ MICHIGAN MAN GETS SCHUNEMAN'S POST Washington, June 6.—(#)— Pres- ident Hoover has appointed F. K. Heath of Grand Rapids, Mich., assist- ant secretary of the treasury in charge of public buildings, succeed- ing Carl T. Schuneman, who has re- signed. The appointment was announced today at the white house. Mr. Heath is connected with a steamship com- pany operating on the Great Lakes. He was active in Mr. Hoover’s pre- convention campaign, and served in Republican headquarters at Chicago during the regular campaign. He was a member of Mr. Hoover's relief organization after the world war, be- ing stationed in Finland. Another change expected in the treasury executive force is the resig- nation of Henry Herrick Bond, assiste ant in charge of fiscal affairs in the internal revenue bureau. He has wishes to return to private law practice. Telephone been increased from reased proportionately. Physical several stations of the Wisconsin Bell on tl pure Telephone Dakota is Wearing a $400,000,000 Smile last year in corn. Corn, clovers, alfalfa, cattle, hogs and sheep all thrive in this state. In North Dakota the farmers now are rotat- ing ow crops by he yy is oe ee Da- ta is wearing a 009, | smile, proceeds from the farms last year. ; kets M4 poi ge iy industries are growing s as develop more telephone service is needed. : We strive to keep Pp requirements for furnish eslophons tervice and ¢o such service at the lowest cost con- sistent with financial safety. : We have faith in North Dakota NORTHWESTERN BELL @® TELEPHONE COMPANY _